2 officers open fire on suspected car thief who sparked chase, Cleveland police say

CLEVELAND, Texas (KTRK) -- A man whom authorities pursued for a reported car theft has died after he was shot by police officers in the Cleveland area.

It started at about 10:33 a.m. when the Cleveland Police Department received reports of a possible stolen vehicle at the Martin Chevrolet Buick GMC dealership, Capt. Scott Felts said.

When officers arrived, the suspect drove off, going over 100 mph northbound on US-59, police said. That's when a chase erupted, involving several police units, as well as several DPS troopers and other local law enforcement.

Felts said the suspect started speeding back into the Cleveland area. Officers were able to spike the suspect's tires, causing the vehicle to lose its rims and go into a construction barrier area.

That didn't stop the suspect, though. Felts said the man continued northbound, jumping several construction blockade areas.

After crashing the vehicle, the suspect came out holding a handgun in his right hand and ran across several barriers toward the woods.

Felts said two of his officers opened fire, hitting the suspect. The person's condition was not immediately disclosed, but by Monday afternoon, police revealed he had been pronounced dead at the scene.

It was unclear if the suspect fired rounds at the police officers, but an investigation is being handled by Cleveland PD.